More in New Zealand

As always, we need to posts to get all the pictures in, but rest assured we continued our adventure with New Zeal And Enthusiasm! (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

On the lake

In between bits of rain, we took a nice walk along a peninsula that runs from Queenstown into the lake and visited some wineries (surprise surprise, right?). NZ is justly known for its Sauvignon Blancs, but they are also developing a really excellent Pinot Noir. I tried a whole bunch of them, and even found the one that had been rated best red in the world at a wine competition held in the UK the previous year. In fact it was excellent, and yes, one or two bottles found their way into our luggage. Unfortunately, to find room for them, we had to throw away all the gifts we bought for our kids, but I’m sure they will understand. Someday.

MINIATURE HORSE

We also visited the Queenstown Golf Club – just to look – and drove up into the Animal Park where part of Lord of the Rings was filmed as well as a Disney film years ago about a prison in North Korea. The animal area was really good, with some of the animals domestic enough to be hand fed, so we bought the obligatory $2 bucket of food and set out up the hill. Fed some very enthusiastic miniature horses, donkeys, OVERLY enthusiastic goats and llamas and kept looking for the “wee tarns” mentioned on the map until we realized that “wee tarns” were little lakes - not small, exotic animals! Another laugh and back on the road again!
OVER ZEALOUS DEER
Next stop was the West Coast. To get there, we decided to take the short cut north, over a mountain named Crown Point, to reach Wanaka, a delightful town on a lake (with lots of wineries) and from there head NW to Haas, first stop on the West Coast. As we gained altitude on Crown Point, rain turned into slush and then into snow, with very little visibility or guard rails. We went slower and slower, until finally we rounded a curve and saw a car backing down the road toward us. The driver kindly stopped, came to our car and in NZ English let us know that it was much worse up ahead and that there had been an accident partially blocking the road. He then suggested “If ya want ta go fahwahd, ya must just kip goin’. No stoppin’ or ya’ll not git goin’ agin on th’ ice”. At that point, we also backed up, turned around, and opted for the long way around. And that was the first time during this whole trip that weather – or anything – had prevented us from doing what we had planned, WHEN we had planned.

JUST ANOTHER WATER FALL

So our trip that day was a bit longer, but just gave us more to see. We went over a couple other passes, by lakes, meadows, forests, and the most remarkable landscape you can imagine. And a beautiful waterfall that got me into trouble!! The bottom of it was very pretty; the top magnificent. Unfortunately, I was driving when I got carried away with its beauty and made Rance just a bit too uncomfortable as I swerved left and he thought we were destined for the woods. He threatened to take away my driving privileges, but no worries, mate (said I. R’s thoughts were not nearly as optimistic)! We carried on! (no “good on ya” for me, however!)

Stayed in another warm, friendly B&B that night in Hokitika, a village right on the ocean. Again, our hosts were everything one hopes for and although we arrived late afternoon, we spent at least an hour chatting with them and learning so much about the country, and more specifically about the town and local library right across the street. Some town father had decided they needed one and had written an endowment request to the Carnegie foundation ~ 1910, and darned if Andrew himself hadn’t approved it. So there it still sits, now serving as a tourist information center.

BLOWHOLE AT PANCAKE ROCK

The West Coast of the southern island is another rough, rugged, exciting area. With semi-soft rock and sandstone along the coast there’s lots of bits of land now standing in the sea, having fallen away from the mainland over the years; some still with greenery. North of Hokitika, we visited the Pancake Rocks as the best example of this phenomenon. A nice walk through beautiful vegetation led us to the waves crashing on and through the rocks, creating new landforms of exotic shapes, and pulsing out through blow holes. Very majestic – sailing east from there you’d be lucky to find any land until Patagonia, and the waves had a long running start before they got there – it’s not called the Roaring 40’s for nothing!

PATAGONIA JUST BEHIND US

Spent that night at Hanmer Springs, the health playground for many from Christchurch and surrounding area. Although we went to bed that night smelling of sulfur, we loved every minute in the natural, hot springs. Rance’s knees, particularly, thanked him!! By the way, not sure if we mentioned all the snow capped peaks – they are particularly evident here, since it’s also a ski resort. The mountains are much lower than our beloved ones in Switzerland, but since we’re so much further away from the equator, they get snow lower and longer.

READY TO SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS

From Hanmer Springs to Kaikoura, the east coast NZ Mecca for whale watching, dolphin and seal watching, AND swimming with the dolphins! Once again, at Amy’s suggestion (challenge!) we chose the swimming part and our very latest new best friends are dolphins! We went out on a small boat into very cold, choppy seas – one of our fellow adventurers (about 12 total) was sea sick almost the entire time. They had given us full wet suits, and we cruised along until we spotted a pod of dolphins. There are about 15K of them off this coast, which is ideal for their feeding purposes, and they stay there year round. The boat moved past them and dropped us swimmers off in their path. We had been encouraged to make noises and do other things to make them curious, and so we snorted and dove and generally made fools of ourselves, but it must have worked because suddenly there would be a beautiful dolphin swimming in circles around us as we tried to keep him in sight. And then if you lifted your head out of the water you’d see them jumping in their mating dance – the female first followed by four or five or her ardent swains – breathtaking. The water was icy, but we were warmed by our exercise and the thrill of it all. In fact, the hardest part was not the water coming into the snorkel by the choppy waves, but when the smiles and laughs at the dolphins’ antics would break the seal on the mask! As the pod passed us we’d return to the boat and move on ahead again, until finally after about 5 repeats we had to start the trip back to shore. We stripped off the wet suits and bathing suits and pulled on every piece of warm clothing we had brought, modesty forgotten in the quest for warmth. And then some celebratory hot chocolate as we watched the dolphins dance more for us. Everyone enjoyed it, even the sea sick young lady who still made every swim with us. And it was obvious the dolphins enjoyed it too – they were clearly curious about us, and amused by our antics. Unforgettable.

WONDERFUL EVENING WITH FRIENDS

Once again, feeling proud of our aging bodies and unrealistically optimistic attitudes, we headed north to Blenheim to spend the next two nights with dear friends we made many years ago when Rance was at the Canadian National Defense College in Kingston, Ontario. Beth is an original Kiwi; Dick a Canadian who succumbed to Beth’s wiles and the beauty of New Zealand. What a wonderful couple and how great to be in touch with them over these years. They could not have been more kind, welcoming or generous. They have just recently completed building a beautiful new home in Blenheim – at the north end of the south island – and we were privileged to be the first to stay in one of the two very comfortable guest rooms. The house – even without landscaping completed - overlooks pastures with sheep grazing, hills, trees, and vineyards. How bad can that be!!??? And can you guess? They took us to a number of those wineries: to sample; to sample and have lunch; to sample and then finish it off with one last sample. We liked, as we knew we would, the various Sauvignon Blancs, especially Cloudy Bay, whose vineyard overlooks the eponymous (love that “e” word) bay opposite Blenheim. But I also wanted to continue my exploration/evaluation of the up and coming Pinot Noirs. My verdict on those, for what it’s worth, are they are good, but not as good as those we had on the South Island, where the cooler weather seems to work better for them. And at days end, we went back to their beautiful home. By this time, at the rather unnecessary urging of our hosts, Rance and I took a nap. We awoke to the heavenly smell of roast leg of lamb in the oven. The taste matched the smell – it was fantastic! And we found the Pinot to go very well with it and its accompanying vegetables. Very good indeed, especially in the warmth of such wonderful friends. Once again we thought, “Life is good!”

PASSING OUR SISTER SHIP HALF WAY

The next day we drove north to catch the Picton-Wellington ferry. That’s the only non-flying connection between the two islands, and it’s a 3 hour, very beautiful ride. You also have to drop the South Island rental car off in Picton and pick up the North Island one in Wellington, but apparently we were not the first to have ever done this, since it went so smoothly. The ferry was cool – a truly huge ship loaded not just with us walk-on passengers, but lots of lorries and even some train cars! It all makes sense and works. A very beautiful, windy, choppy ride. We drove north towards Auckland, with the scenery not as interesting, at least initially, as the South Island. There are a lot more people and industry on the North Island, and it showed in the traffic. Still lovely territory, though. Dick Gentiles, our host in Blenheim, had spent 10 years working for the NZ MOD after leaving the Canadian Forces, and had recommended our visiting their Army Museum at their major training area at Waiouru. Dick really knows his stuff, and his recommendation that it was world class was all I needed to hear. So we pressed on as hard as we could to get there before closing, but drive as hard as we could, we arrived at 1625 with the doors shutting in our face. I even played the retired US Army card to the uncaring guardian of the gate, to no avail. Rats.

From there we pressed on to Taupu on its namesake lake and found a neat motel with in room Jacuzzi. I must admit that by this time my old knees, perhaps knowing they’re scheduled for the knacker’s shop on the 15th of November, had really begun to lodge protests over their abuse, so the warm water flowing over them is a well-deserved luxury. Dry and reasonably mobile, we headed into town to see what culinary delights we could uncover, but not expecting too much – only to be delightfully surprised by one of the best meals on the trip – rack of lamb for Susan and seafood pasta for me. Nice treat.

Our last day’s drive took us into Auckland. The first part of the road was beautiful, taking us on what they call the desert highway past three gorgeous volcanoes, one still somewhat active, and then on a now pretty busy highway. We had asked a gent on our Great Barrier Reef boat (back in Australia) where to stay there, and he had recommend the Sebal Reef, which was right on the Viaduct Harbor, overlooking the America’s Cup harbor. Had our last meal on the water, and then flew off the next day, ending our NZ adventure. What a beautiful country, and what lovely, friendly people! Watch out, we shall return!

And as we ship this blog off, we are back in our wonderful motherland – having spent the fastest 11 weeks in history out of the country. We’re in Hawaii – and will write our last blog when we return to Phoenix. Indeed, Dorothy was right. There’s no place like home!!